Match lighter



Nov. 2, 1954 c. w. SOULE 2,693,275

MATCH LIGHTER Filed Aug. 7, 1952 Y INVENTOR. Charles W. Soule BY M mmtorneg UflitCd States Patent O MATCH LIGHTER i Charles William So ule,Reno, Nev. 7

Application August 7, 1952, Serial No. 303,021

2 Claims. (Cl. 206-34) My invention relates to an improvement inlighters, especially lighters in which an inflammable substance isignited to produce a small flame for tobacco smoking and other purposes.

An important object of the invention is to provide a lighter having acasing adapted to receive friction matches, and containing means bywhich each match in turn can be separated from the others and actuatedto strike its end against a rough surface to initiate combustion whenthe casing is opened.

The construction of the ligher is illustrated on the drawings and setforth in the description, but this disclosure is explanatory only andchanges in details not shown herein, may be made without deviation fromthe main design in which the invention resides.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the lighter.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on line 22 in Fig ure 1 with theparts in starting position.

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the match in striking position.

Figure 4 is a similar view showing a match ignited and the othersshielded; and

Figures 5, 6 and 7 show sectional details.

The article comprises a casing 1, with a cavity 2 in its top for storingmatches 3, side by side therein. The matches can be made of cutcardboard all joined together at one end as indicated at 4, with theirchemically treated tips 5 at the opposite ends. The casing has an outercover 6 and an inside cover or screen 7, both pivoted to the casing atone edge of the cavity. The matches 3 are disposed so that the tips 5 ofthe matches are adjacent the pivoted edges of the covers 6 and 7.

The screen 7 for the matches is relatively short and the free edge ofthe cover 6 extends beyond the free edge of the screen 7, theoverlapping portionof the cover 6 presenting an exposed striking surface8 on the inner face of the cover 6. This surface can bear a suitablecoating to produce combustion at the tips 5 if necessary. The matchesare engaged one by one by means of a lifter. arm 9, that pulls a matchup and brings the tip 5 into frictional engagement with the strikingsurface 8.

This arm 9 is fixed to a head 10, slidably mounted on a rod 11, in thecavity adjacent the edge opposite the pivoted ends of the cover 6 andscreen 7. This rod has its ends in bearings at the sides of the casing,and can rotate therein; and when released it is turned by a coiledspring 12 fixed at one end to the rod and to the inside of the casing atthe other end. Except when released the arm 9 is held down in the casingparallel to the matches 3. At its outer end the arm 9 has a laterallybent end or hook 13 that can be passed under a match to pull it upward.

The cover 6 and screen 7 have perforated bearing lugs 14 and 15respectively and are freely mounted on a transversely extending rod 16fixed at its ends in the casing 1 along the edge of cavity 2. One suchlug 14 is shown at one end of the rod in Figure 1; each of the parts 6and 7 having two lugs, one at each side as shown on Figure 7. Coiledsprings 17 are afiixed at one end to the rod 16 and to the lugs 14 and15 at their other ends, at least one spring being used for each of thecovers 6 and 7. These springs tend to keep the cover 6 and screen inposition, closing the cavity 2.

One end of the rod 4 has a laterally projecting stud 18 which lies undera catch 19 when the lighter casing is closed. The catch 19 is located ina recess 20 in the top 2,693,276 Patented Nov. 2, 1954 of thecasing'beside thev cavity 2. At one end of this slot is a hole 21containing a coiled spring 22, pressing against the rear end of thecatch 19. This catch keeps the lifter arm 9 depressed by engaging at oneend with the stud 18. The casing has a recess 23 in the side, opening tothe cavity 2, large enough to give clearance to the stud 18, and thefront end 24 of the catch is bevelled from its upper to its lower edge.A stud 25 aflixed to the catch extends through a slot 26 in the side ofthe casing and has a button 27 on its outer end, so that the catch canbe moved back against the spring 22.

The catch projecting at its end 24 over the stud 18 holds the rod 11against its spring 12 and keeps the arm 10 down in the cavity 2. The lid6 and screen 7 are held shut by their springs 17.

When the button 27 is pushed to move the catch 19 against the spring 22,the stud is released and the spring 12 rotates the rod or shaft 11 tolift the arm 9.

The arm 9 has its end 13 always under one of the matches and the spring12 is strong enough to raise both covers 6 and 7. When the button 27 ismoved to release the rod 11, the spring 12 rotates the rod 9, raisingthe arm and one of the matches and the covers 6 and 7, and moving thematch across the inner faces of the cover 6 and screen 7. The match thuslifts the cover and screen fully to open the casing. When the matchpasses beyond the free end of the screen 7 the screen 7 drops; beingturned down by the spring means 17 connected to it, and thus shields thetips 5 of the other matches. But the spring 12 throws the arm 9 andmatch raised by the arm, farther forward till the tip 5 of the matchrubs across the striking surface 8 of the cover 6. The match then burstsinto flame at the tip and can be torn off the card 4.

The lighter is made ready for further use by first lifting the cover 6and screen 7 and pressing the arm 9 down and moving its end 13 under thenext match. The catch 19 is now forced back by the stud 18 passing downacross the bevelled front end 24 of the catch 19. When the arm 9 islowered fully the stud 18 is past the catch which then is impelled bythe spring 22 to project over the stud 18, and hold the arm 9 indepressed position. The cover 6 and screen 7 are then closed by thesprings 17.

The outside of the cover 6 and other parts of the casing can be coveredwith advertising matter, and thus the article can be used as souvenir.if desired.

The rod or bar 11 is preferably round at its ends where it engages thecasing and square between its ends, so that the arm 9 will be raisedwhen the rod turns. This rod or bar can also be round throughout itslength and the head 10 aflixed to it by a binding screw.

The casing 1 has a shoulder 28 against which the edge of the cardboardcarrying the matches can make contact and the end of the spring 12 isseated in a recess 29.

The rod 16 can be held fast at its ends in the casing 1 by any suitablemeans so that it does not rotate; and the casing 1 may be made ofplastic or any suitable material and have any suitable shape.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new is:

1. A lighter comprising a casing for friction matches, said casinghaving a pivoted member bearing a striking surface and movable means forseparating one of said matches from the remainder and actuating it tolift said member and engage said surface to produce ignition of theseparated match, said casing also having a second pivoted member beneaththe first-named member and overlapped by said surface, said secondmember being in position to be lifted by said match along with saidfirstnamed member and then released when the match engages said surface,and means for then returning the secondnamed pivoted member to itsoriginal position to shield the remaining matches.

2. A lighter com rising a casing having a cavity of substantially fullwidth for matches lying side by side therein, a fixed bar extendingacross one end of the cavity, an arm slidably mounted on said bar, aspring connected to the arm and bar to lift the bar into raisedposition, a catch in the casing at one side to hold the rod in depressedposition parallel to said matches, the rod having a hook at its outerend, and a cover having a striking surface hinged to the casing at theopposite end of the cavity, saticl' casing'having a screen for saidmatches under said cover also hinged to the opposite side of the casing,the striking surface of the cover projecting beyond the free edgeof thescreen, and springs acting to holdthe cover and: screen closingsaidvcavity.

4 References Cited in the file of this gatent UNITED STATES PATENTS

